The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-04
THE SUPPLY
Resultof an Inquiry as 10 the Progress
of Grain-Producing Countries.
The Quantity Raised in the United States
and the Amount Exported-Average Prices
in Europc-East midas Rapid Advance.

man OF the Senate committee on transportation
routes to the seaboard authorizes the publica-
ton OF the report of that committee upon the
subject of railroad freigh,s in the United States
and other countries. the study of which, for the
purpose OF settling certain questions pertaining
TO interstate commerce, has long been in prog
ress by his committee The appointment of a
special Senate committee upon interstate com
merce somewhat modified the work originally
mapped out BIZ the committee on transportation
routes to the seaboard, and that committee or
dered it not to take testimony as it was author
lied to do. but to conduct a special line Of in.
quiry to ascertain. if possible the relative prog
ress OF the various grain producing coun-
tries. The complete report makes 500
pages of printed matter. and contains
many valuable tables and much information
on the subject of transportation. gathered from
nearly every country in the world The first
table presented indicates the progress of the
United States for a generation. Thirty-t three
years ago we produced 100 900, 600 bushels of
wheat and about 100000 600 bushels of corn.
Twice in recent years we have reached 800 OOO :
600 bushels of wheat, and in 1885 the corn crop
reached ,600,0 DOC, 900 bushels-a fiye-fold in
crease in wheat and three-fold increase in corn.
The increase in other cereals has not been so
rapid, nor are they regarded by the committee
as 30 important as the increase in wheat and
corn. In the export trade, the committee savs,
wheat has always ranked first In value. and IN
ffty eight years has added So. GOO OO0 600 to the
value OF our national production sum equiva-
lent to four times the value of exported corn and
corn meal during the same period The renort
SHOWS the countries to which every bushel of
tnis grain has been exported. and
the percentage of exports each year
from from. 1850 1855 to 1888 The report also
the United States and points out what changes
have taken place In the grain centers of the
country since the close of the war. The aver
age annual receipts of grain in Portland Me
New Orleans, Detroit. Cleveland and Pittsbure
have remained stationary through the two
periods between 1866 and 1873 and between 1874
and 1883. Boston, New York, Philadelphia, San
francisco, Toledo, Erie. St. Louis and Peoria
have. speaking roundly, doubled their average
Eeceipts during the latter period Baltimore.
Louisville and Duluth have increased nearly
three-fold, while the average annual receipts at
Kansas City have increased nine-fold A1narked
increase is noticeable in Milwaukee and Buff
ialo but there has been decided decrease in
receipts of Oswego and Ogdensburg The At
l9ntic ports net only consume vast quantities of
this grain but the bulk of the product is Skinned
abroad thsrefrom. 1t is shown by the tables
that during the ten years ending with 1888 the
average annual receipts of cereals of all kinds
az these ports have been, in round figures
200, 000. 600 bushels.
Efforts we're made by the committee to oroun
together the average yearly prices of grain at
the various grain centers Of tie United States
Tor series OF years and to show the difference
In prices per bushel at various points between
these geographical sections. which would repre-
sent in measure the freight and the tendency
81 the rates of freight charges It is shown for
example, that the difference in the prices of corn
Letween the Atlantic ports and the lake ports
from fyvnv
bushel In 1873 to ten cents per bushel in 1889.
between the Atla.tic ports and the Western
river ports from nineteen cents in 1873 to eleven
cents In 1883 An attempt was made by the
committee to ascertain the rates of freight from
the PRINCIPAL intermediate points to the seaboard
1rf also fror the intermediates points to the prin.
eipal cities OF various States. This investigation
was conducted in hopes of ascertanng fac Is in re-
gard to the difference of rates charged for long
hauls and short hauls, and to throw light upon
the vexed question Of long and short haul
In relation to this inquiry the committee says:
= Ii the returns from which the above summary is
constructed may be relied land the committee has
Desn careful in selecting only returns that appeared
upon their face corrcct the rates charged for local
freight are evidently levied on the somewhat general
setts, when terminals taken into consideration
the cost of transporting bushel of wheat is more
nearly equitable than In any State represented in the
summary. Still find the anomaly of lesser rate
for three and six miles than for fftaen miles In
Pennsylvania local rates higher than in Massa.
chusetts In Ohio the rate is abont tine on go
miles as it is on 90 while the long haul of 2 l6 miles
instead of being relatively less is relatively greater
port bushel of wheat 81 miles; the cost
in Connecticut for Transporting the same
quantity of grain 62 miles was 7 cents: in
fennsyivania TO miles d. cents; and in Ohio, co
miles; cents. OF course, tie conditions NAV not
have been the same. Further West, we find Kansas
paying ~ cents per bashol for transporting bushel
OF wheat 40 miles, and Massachusetts for the Same
service SEQ miles. % cents while California pavs
cents per bushe for 80 miles. The committee recog.
he m car IF
sncomplee and unsatisfactory. They printed more
for the purpose of directing attention line of in
curry which might be carried out by the government
and which would result III throwing important light on
the subject of local freight Excellent work has
Seen dSae III all that appertains to through rates but
heretofore no attempt has been made to collect
parative statistics of local rates. glance at the
above also brings out the fact that the same
gratifying reduction has not taken place in local rates
during the covered by this inquiry in through
rates. In there has been a reduction but
In majority of instances the rates have remained
substantially the same.
Continuing the subject of local freiehts.
fhe committee says
In Massachusetts, the rates have steadily declined
since Is a. on every road included in the State The
same Is true of Connecticut The Ohio report is ex-
eeednsiy valuable. showing decline from 2446
cents per tor mile in 1868 to .S75 of cent in
ies3 In Michigan the average rate per per mile
In Is ~ Was l31 CENT and in 1882 it hid declined
TO w cent per ton PEI mile On the principal rail
roads OF iowa there has also been considerable de-
crease since 1873. This is shown in detail in the an
pendix. but no summary is obtanabe. In Wisconsin
Missouri Minnesota Nebraska and California the
Same general facts brought out and reference to
ali the pub shed tables i'll tho appendix is necessary
III order TO obtain correct idea of the extent of this
reduction and the roads which the reduction has
been the mnss satisfactory Reliable statistics on To-
cal rates of freight greatly needed to aid in an in
tsligcnt understanding of this important branch Of
the transportation question.
Turning from the United States to foreign
countries, the committee shows the production
and consumption of cereals In Errope and
brings out the fact that the increase In popuIa-
t.on has been relatively much greater in the
great grain producing countries than 1t has been in
the grain buying countries. The United King
com appears to have purchased about two thirds
of ali the wheat the United States exported dur
ing rhe period, and therefore, special attention
4,as been given 10 Fneland's snnnlv of wheat